Purchase Oyster Larvae, Seed, and Shell
Hatchery-produced spat on shell.
Click below for 2013 prices and other details:
2013 Oyster Seed and Shell Sales Information
The Oyster Recovery Partnership is working with the UMCES Horn Point Oyster Lab Hatchery and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to produce and offer high quality, hatchery-produced, oyster larvae, seed, and shell (shell for aquaculture remote setting program only). Maryland aquaculture is rapidly expanding as savvy watermen and businessmen continue to recognize and fulfill the demand of American seafood consumers looking for a fresh, local, sustainable product. Since 2011, ORP and our partners at the UMCES Horn Point Oyster Lab Hatchery and University of Maryland Extension Service have been training watermen how to produce their own oysters using remote setting systems or simply selling oyster seed.
To better serve Maryland’s watermen and shellfish growers, this program offers a variety of C. virginica larvae, seed and spat on shell in various sizes, including disease resistant (DR) stocks (with 60 days advance order) and limited quantities of triploids. Click here for complete information and pricing: 2013 Oyster Seed and Shell Sales Information
Oyster larvae is poured into a remote setting tank by Horn Point scientist Steven Weschler.
Producing Oysters through Remote Setting
The premise behind the use of a remote setting system is to enable any interested lease-holding individual to cost effectively produce their own oysters without the complexity of a big hatchery. All that is necessary for success is some manpower and know-how, both of which are abundant in the watermen community. The growers are provided training, larvae, and free access to equipment.
Over the last two years we have trained over 20 individual growers in hatchery and/or remote setting operations. Collectively these watermen have produced and planted 224 million spat-on-shell in their respective leases around Maryland. Some motivated individuals have been repeat participants, producing and planting millions of oysters on their leases each year. We expect that these participants may begin harvesting and selling their oysters on the market in 2013. They are using this program in conjunction with grants/loans that they received through MARBIDCO and NCRS loans to purchase shell for the remote setting and lease bottom hardening. Now trained, these watermen are educated, experienced and capable of creating their own setting systems and are ready to create their own aquaculture businesses.
A remote setting system enables leaseholders to cost effectively produce their own oysters without the complexity of a big hatchery. The main requirements for success are manpower and know-how, both of which are abundant in the watermen community. Growers are provided with the training, larvae and equipment to allow them to produce high quality seed oysters to plant on their grounds. Our goal is to train lease-holding watermen in efficient production of spat-on-shell using hatchery-reared oyster larvae. It is a cost effective way to produce seed for leases. Oyster larvae are placed in tanks with cultch and allowed to set by attaching prior to planting.
Leaseholders can sign up to use these remote setting systems at no charge to produce spat-on-shell for their lease. We provide use of tanks with all supporting equipment at six locations across Maryland, from Deal Island on the Lower Easter Shore to Piney Point on the Western Shore. Hands-on, technical support is provided to all participants, including introductory setting training to post-setting evaluations to determine how many were produced. UMCES Horn Point Oyster Lab Hatchery oyster larvae is provided to participants free of charge for their first set. To participate, leaseholders must acquire or purchase their own shell and provide the labor to produce and plant their spat.
Note: 2013 is currently slated to be the final year of the remote setting training opportunity and we are committed to creating more success stories. Call ORP at 410-990-4970, or email rst@oysterrecovery.org for more information on these programs. Don’t miss your chance to join Maryland’s growing oyster aquaculture community.
Potential Hatchery Operators
Broodstock is used by the Horn Point Oyster Hatchery to spawn and produce oyster larvae.
The University of Maryland Extension Service and UMCES Horn Point Oyster Lab Hatchery have developed an “Oyster Hatchery Short Course” for individuals pursuing a career in oyster hatchery operations. This week-long program is taught by respected oyster industry professionals and gives participants hands-on experience in oyster hatchery operations at the largest facility on the East Coast. The class is designed with classroom and practical experience in the following areas: broodstock genetics, acquisition and conditioning, mass and strip spawning techniques, algae production, disease control and biosecurity, larval care and maintenance, setting and nursery operations, business management and marketing. There is no charge for the program for students from Maryland and Virginia. Dates have not been set for the 2013 program but were conducted the first full week of June the past two years. For more information contact Don Webster at the UM Wye Research & Education Center in Queenstown, Maryland, at dwebster@umd.edu or call 410-827-8056, extension 127.
If you have any questions about the oyster seed sales program or the other ORP efforts, call us at 410-990-4970.
